Is Arceus viable in Gen 9 Anything Goes?

Arceus is ranked #4 in Gen 9 Anything Goes with 40.40% usage according to Smogon Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 data.

What beats Arceus in Gen 9 Anything Goes?

The best counter for Arceus in Gen 9 Anything Goes is Skarmory with a 85.2% win rate when they meet. Based on Smogon's Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 usage data, the top Pokémon that beat Arceus include Skarmory, Dondozo, Garganacl, Glalie, Skeledirge.

What is the best counter for Arceus in Gen 9 Anything Goes?

Skarmory is the best counter for Arceus in Gen 9 Anything Goes, KOing or forcing it out in 85.2% of their encounters.

Arceus counters

Gen 9 Anything Goes · Sorted by reliability score · Smogon · Apr 2026 - Jun 2026

#0493 Arceus

Normal

USAGE 40.4% #4

BASE STATS

HP 120

ATK 120

DEF 120

SPA 120

SPD 120

SPE 120

BST720

TYPE MATCHUPS

2×

Fighting

0×

Ghost

Moves

Extreme Speed 89.9% Shadow Claw 78.8% Swords Dance 70.9% Recover 44.1% Taunt 30.3% Earthquake 14.8% Bulk Up 14.1% Perish Song 9.6%

Items

Heavy-Duty Boots 28.6% Silk Scarf 24.6% Mental Herb 24.3% Leftovers 8.2% Lum Berry 5.5% Life Orb 3.6% Cheri Berry 1.2% Focus Sash 0.7%

Tera Types

Normal 52.8% Fire 21.7% Ghost 16.5% Dark 4.1% Grass 1.7% Fairy 1.1% Ground 0.6% Electric 0.4%

Common Teammates

Browse Gen 9 Anything Goes teams using Arceus →

Teams using Skeledirge 64% Teams using Calyrex-Ice 64%

Checks & Counters

Reliability ranks observed matchups; KO rate is how often the checker knocked out or forced out the target. “Checker faints” reports the checker's own observed death rate. Categories use matchup reliability plus offensive and defensive base stats.

How to read this table

Use encounter count to judge sample size. A high-reliability check with a modest KO rate can still be useful when it consistently forces switches or limits the target.

# Checker Encounters Reliability KO Rate

Skarmory

SteelFlying DEFENSIVE COUNTER

80.584

85.2% checker faints 5.50%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 45-54 (13.4 - 16.1%) -- possible 7HKO

View Skarmory counters →

Dondozo

Water DEFENSIVE COUNTER

290.373

78.9% checker faints 4.05%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo: 90-106 (17.8 - 21%) -- possible 7HKO

View Dondozo counters →

Garganacl

Rock DEFENSIVE COUNTER

85.116

75.2% checker faints 7.71%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garganacl: 136-162 (33.6 - 40%) -- 32.3% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

View Garganacl counters →

Glalie

Ice DEFENSIVE COUNTER

23.603

64.2% checker faints 9.87%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Glalie: 114-135 (31.3 - 37%) -- 77.9% chance to 3HKO

Skeledirge

FireGhost DEFENSIVE COUNTER

483.843

63.8% checker faints 3.74%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skeledirge: 164-194 (39.8 - 47%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Skeledirge counters → Teams with Skeledirge →

Calyrex-Ice

PsychicIce DEFENSIVE COUNTER

478.071

63.7% checker faints 3.67%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Calyrex-Ice: 86-102 (21.2 - 25.2%) -- 0.1% chance to 4HKO

View Calyrex-Ice counters → Teams with Calyrex-Ice →

Zacian-Crowned

FairySteel OFFENSIVE CHECK

768.344

63.4% checker faints 2.97%

DAMAGE CALC

+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Crowned Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 408-482 (91.8 - 108.5%) -- 50% chance to OHKO

View Zacian-Crowned counters → Teams with Zacian-Crowned →

Sneasler

FightingPoison OFFENSIVE CHECK

132.269

59.2% checker faints 7.20%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Sneasler Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 368-434 (82.8 - 97.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Sneasler counters →

Arceus-Water

Water DEFENSIVE COUNTER

154.945

59.1% checker faints 6.80%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Water: 87-103 (19.5 - 23.1%) -- possible 5HKO

View Arceus-Water counters → Teams with Arceus-Water →

Corviknight

FlyingSteel DEFENSIVE COUNTER

324.618

56.8% checker faints 4.67%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 56-66 (14 - 16.5%)

View Corviknight counters →

Ursaluna

GroundNormal OFFENSIVE CHECK

65.339

56.7% checker faints 8.55%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ursaluna Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 260-306 (58.5 - 68.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Ursaluna counters →

Koraidon

FightingDragon OFFENSIVE CHECK

2,492.59

56.4% checker faints 1.71%

DAMAGE CALCSun

252+ Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Collision Course (133.3251953125 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 560-660 (126.1 - 148.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Koraidon counters → Teams with Koraidon →

Arceus-Poison

Poison SOFT CHECK

82.84

54.0% checker faints 9.42%

DAMAGE CALC

0- Atk Toxic Plate Arceus-Poison Gunk Shot vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 139-165 (31.3 - 37.1%) -- 79% chance to 3HKO

View Arceus-Poison counters →

Clefable

Fairy SOFT CHECK

42.877

52.9% checker faints 10.47%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus: 88-105 (19.8 - 23.6%) -- possible 5HKO

View Clefable counters →

Cloyster

WaterIce SOFT CHECK

23.032

51.4% checker faints 10.41%

Kingambit

DarkSteel SOFT CHECK

338.431

48.9% checker faints 4.65%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Kingambit Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 252-298 (56.7 - 67.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Kingambit counters → Teams with Kingambit →

Arceus

Normal SOFT CHECK

1,877.145

48.6% checker faints 1.98%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Arceus Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 117-138 (26.3 - 31%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

View Arceus counters → Teams with Arceus →

Necrozma-Dusk-Mane

PsychicSteel SOFT CHECK

264.677

48.6% checker faints 5.26%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 178-210 (40 - 47.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Necrozma-Dusk-Mane counters →

Urshifu-Rapid-Strike

FightingWater SOFT CHECK

24.916

46.8% checker faints 10.00%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Urshifu-Rapid-Strike Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 368-434 (82.8 - 97.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Urshifu-Rapid-Strike counters →

Terapagos

Normal SOFT CHECK

121.598

46.6% checker faints 7.66%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Terapagos Tera Starstorm vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus: 88-105 (19.8 - 23.6%) -- possible 5HKO

View Terapagos counters →

Arceus-Ground

Ground SOFT CHECK

901.587

45.9% checker faints 2.84%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Earth Plate Arceus-Ground Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 174-205 (39.1 - 46.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Arceus-Ground counters → Teams with Arceus-Ground →

Kyurem-Black

DragonIce SOFT CHECK

176.952

44.1% checker faints 6.43%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Kyurem-Black Dragon Claw vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 151-178 (34 - 40%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Kyurem-Black counters →

Ursaluna-Bloodmoon

GroundNormal SOFT CHECK

46.223

43.9% checker faints 9.70%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Ursaluna-Bloodmoon Blood Moon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus: 165-195 (37.1 - 43.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Ursaluna-Bloodmoon counters →

Groudon

Ground SOFT CHECK

22.532

41.8% checker faints 10.39%

DAMAGE CALCSun

252+ Atk Life Orb Groudon Precipice Blades vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 265-313 (59.6 - 70.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Groudon counters →

Arceus-Fairy

Fairy SOFT CHECK

333.227

41.8% checker faints 4.62%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Pixie Plate Arceus-Fairy Judgment vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus: 129-153 (29 - 34.4%) -- 3.1% chance to 3HKO

View Arceus-Fairy counters → Teams with Arceus-Fairy →

Calyrex-Shadow

PsychicGhost SOFT CHECK

5,135.347

41.7% checker faints 1.18%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Calyrex-Shadow Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 147-174 (33.1 - 39.1%) -- 99.8% chance to 3HKO

View Calyrex-Shadow counters → Teams with Calyrex-Shadow →

Deoxys-Attack

Psychic SOFT CHECK

40.88

40.8% checker faints 7.69%

DAMAGE CALC

0- Atk Deoxys-Attack Superpower vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 224-264 (50.4 - 59.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Deoxys-Attack counters →

Basculegion

WaterGhost SOFT CHECK

70.833

40.3% checker faints 8.11%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Basculegion Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arceus: 166-196 (37.3 - 44.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Basculegion counters →

Kyogre

Water SOFT CHECK

465.073

40.3% checker faints 3.82%

DAMAGE CALCRain

252+ SpA Kyogre Water Spout (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus in Rain: 286-337 (64.4 - 75.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Kyogre counters → Teams with Kyogre →

Glimmora

RockPoison SOFT CHECK

552.765

39.9% checker faints 3.56%

DAMAGE CALC

0- SpA Glimmora Power Gem vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arceus: 63-75 (14.1 - 16.8%) -- possible 6HKO

View Glimmora counters → Teams with Glimmora →

Ranked #4 with 40.40% usage. Sorted by reliability score.